1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal processing apparatus that performs signal processing on signals of a plurality of channels, which are externally input via a plurality of input terminals, and then outputs the resulting signals externally via a plurality of output terminals, a method of controlling the signal processing apparatus, and a program for implementing the method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a signal processing apparatus that is capable of giving names to the input and output terminals, a method of controlling the signal processing apparatus, and a program for implementing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a mixing apparatus (mixer), for example, is known as a signal processing apparatus that performs signal processing on signals of a plurality of channels, which are externally input via a plurality of input terminals, and then outputs the resulting signals externally via a plurality of output terminals.
The mixing apparatus performs various kinds of signal processing, such as level adjustment and application of effects, on signals of a plurality of channels, which are externally input via a plurality of input terminals, mixes the input signals in accordance with an instruction given from the user, and outputs the resulting mixed signals externally via a plurality of output terminals.
Some mixing apparatuses of this kind are configured such that a plurality of units into which a plurality of cards each having at least one input terminal can be inserted constitute a plurality of input terminals (or a plurality of output terminals), and the number and arrangement of the input and output terminals can be freely set by arbitrarily selecting the number of units, the number of cards to be inserted into the units, and so forth.
In general, such mixing apparatuses are capable of giving names to the respective input and output terminals. The names designated by the user are given as they are to the input and output channels, or are automatically given to the input and output terminals in accordance with predetermined rules. In the latter case, i.e., in the case where the names are automatically given, the names are given based on the physical positions of the respective terminals. Specifically, in the case of giving a name to a certain terminal, information indicative of a unit and a card to which the terminal belongs as well as the position of the terminal in the card are added to the name at least indirectly.
In the conventional signal processing apparatus as above, however, in the case where names are automatically given to the respective terminals, information based on the physical positions of the respective terminals are added to the names at least indirectly, and therefore, when performing processing on signals, the user needs to correctly recognize which input signal is input via an input terminal at which position and which output signal is output via an output terminal at which position, but the user may feel it inconvenient to correctly recognize input and output terminals for the respective input signals when processing is actually performed on the signals.